Dianthus plant named ‘Floripearl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named ‘Floripearl’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely flowering habit; spray-type inflorescence form; and purple violet-colored flowers positioned upright on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Dianthus caryophyllus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FLORIPEARL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant, botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, typically grown commercially as a cut flower or as a potted plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Floripearl’.

The new Dianthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Dianthus plants with attractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Dianthus is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Cerise Westpearl’, not patented. The new Dianthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Cerise Westpearl’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia in July, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus plant by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia since February, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Dianthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Floripearl’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Floripearl’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Spray-type inflorescence form.     -   4. Purple violet-colored flowers positioned upright on strong         peduncles.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ from plants of the parent, ‘Cerise Westpearl’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus are shorter and have shorter         internodes than plants of ‘Cerise Westpearl’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Dianthus and ‘Cerise Westpearl’         differ in flower color as plants of ‘Cerise Westpearl’ have red         purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Dianthus can be compared to plants of the Dianthus ‘Florijade’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,515. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia, plants of the new Dianthus differed from plants of ‘Florijade’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus had shorter internodes than plants         of ‘Florijade’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Dianthus had more petals than         flowers of plants of ‘Florijade’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus had longer peduncles than plants         of ‘Florijade’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dianthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dianthus plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Floripearl’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf, flower bud, opened flower and petals of ‘Floripearl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 22-cm containers in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Dianthus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 1.19 kilolux. Plants were 26 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Floripearl’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Dianthus     caryophyllus ‘Cerise Westpearl’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three to four             weeks at soil temperatures of 18° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Upright plant habit; narrow inverted triangle;             spray-type inflorescence form; axillary branching; strong             stems.         -   Plant height.—About 92 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 15 cm to 18 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 81 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Internode length: About 6.5 mm. Node length: About 4 mm.             Node diameter: About 6 mm. Texture: Glabrous, glaucous.             Color: Close to 137B; at the nodes, close to 192A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Decurrent, sheathing.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, glaucous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 138A; venation, close to 138A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Large double flowers; flowers             terminal and axillary in cymose sprays; freely flowering             habit with numerous flowers developing per plant; flowers             positioned on strong peduncles; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous through             the summer and late summer in Australia; plants begin             flowering about 170 days after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 18 days on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Corolla.—Quantity of petals/arrangement: About 42 per flower             arranged in several whorls; imbricate. Corolla height: About             2.6 cm. Petal length: About 4.9 cm. Petal width: About             2.4 cm. Petal shape: Roughly obdeltoid. Petal apex:             Praemorse. Petal base: Acute. Petal margin: Crenate to             entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Petal color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N82B; towards the base, close to 145D.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N82B;             towards the base, close to 145D.         -   Calyx.—Quantity of sepals/arrangement: Six in a single             whorl. Calyx height: About 2.8 cm. Calyx diameter, at the             apex: About 1.6 cm. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Glabrous, glaucous. Color: Close             to 138A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About nine per             flower; anthers dorsifixed. Filament length: About 1.6 cm.             Filament color: Close to NN155B. Anther length: About             2.7 mm. Anther diameter: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to             156D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pistils: Quantity: One,             bi-parted. Pistil length: About 3.2 cm. Style length: About             1.8 mm. Style color: Close to 155A. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 155A. Ovary size: About             7 mm by 5 mm. Ovary shape: Obovoid. Ovary color: Towards the             apex, close to 145A; towards the base, close to 155A.         -   Fruits/seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Dianthus. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dianthus have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dianthus     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −2° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘Floripearl’ as illustrated and described. 